Psst! We may receive a small commission for affiliate links posted within this page, such as Amazon and Walmart, but at absolutely no cost to you. All opinions are our own. If you'd like to know more, visit the Disclosure Page, and thanks for dropping by!
Looking to do some spring cleaning but not sure where to start? Try these 33 easy spring cleaning kitchen chores you can do in 5 minutes or less on for size.
We’ve also included some helpful spring cleaning tips to make the most out of your cleaning sessions down below and in the Conclusion — some of which might even make the process more enjoyable for you.
Skip to 5-minute Cleaning Tasks
How to Do 5-Minute Cleaning Sessions Work?
There are a number of benefits to doing cleaning sessions for kitchen spring cleaning chores in 5-minutes or less, and there are certainly plenty of chores that you can get done in that amount of time, including these kitchen chores that work best during spring cleaning time.
Secrets to Faster Cleaning
Using a timer to clean can provide a number of benefits, regardless if you’re short on time, hate cleaning, procrastinate a lot, or just aren’t sure where to start. Here are a few other benefits that you can gain from using a timer when cleaning.
Here are a few steps or tips you can try in order to make the most of your 5-minute kitchen spring cleaning chores.
Here are a few essentials to have with you ahead of time so that you can work more efficiently during your 5-minute kitchen spring cleaning chores session.
Here are a few extra tips to make the most out of your 5-minute cleaning chores.
If you plan to do several 5-minute sessions in a row, consider making it fun by incorporating things you enjoy and can do simultaneously.
Just make sure whatever you choose doesn’t leave you feeling inclined to stop and watch or listen to whatever the entertainment is.
It could be music, Podcasts, YouTube videos, or audiobooks. You can even use songs, videos, or programs like Audible’s timer feature to time your sessions.
The cool part about working along to a timer or keeping track is that you really get a feel for how long things really take, rather than how long we often build them up in our heads.
This is more so for those who don’t like cleaning and tend to procrastinate. Or even if you find yourself stalling on specific tasks.
If you find yourself finishing things sooner or don’t mind doing several sessions at once, consider stacking related chores.
For instance, before you clean the sink, try to clean the garbage disposal. If you’re going to run the dishwasher, why not toss those grates, microwave parts, or filters in there too?
Aim to get creative and have fun with it.
Note: Some of these tasks may also take longer than 5 minutes, depending on the size of your kitchen, the number of cabinets, how much clutter there is, etc. Do the rest when you have time or increase the amount of time to 10 or 15 minutes.
5-Minute Spring Cleaning Tasks
Do these 5-minute spring cleaning chores in whatever order works best for you, though try to consider how some chores may affect other areas.
Set a 5-minute timer to declutter even just one counter or one section of a counter, removing items that you don’t need or that don’t bring you joy when you see them in the room.
This includes appliances and kitchen tools that you could put away. If you have a small kitchen or finish early, try clearing another counter area during any remaining time left.
Benefits
- Your kitchen will naturally look better, be cleaner, and feel more inviting and comfortable to be in.
- You’ll have less to clean up for last-minute or even pre-planned visits.
- You and other members of your household will detect messes more easily, thanks to fewer distractions. Plus, when the counters are clean and clear, even the messiest folks will be less likely to leave obvious messes behind. This one was huge for my household.
- There’s less work involved when cleaning your counters due to less mess, making the task faster, easier, and a lot less tedious to do.
- You’ll have fewer visual distractions, helping you to focus better, spot what needs your attention and feel more at ease.
- With less clutter, you’ll be less visually overstimulated and, therefore, a lot less stressed, even on a subconscious level.
- Less visual competition means your favorite knickknacks will be showcased more than usual.
- You’ll likely get more of a mood boost when you enter the space, feeling more accomplished and further helping to fuel your day.
- The kitchen will be much easier to maintain.
- When items aren’t left out to gather dust every single day, that means less for you to clean later.
This one’s pretty self-explanatory and easy to do.
Scrub your backsplash with warm water and a degreasing soap—especially if you haven’t cleaned your backsplash in quite a while. Wipe clean when done.
If you are reasonably consistent or don’t do a lot of frying or cooking, you should be able to get away with a microfiber cloth that’s a little bit damp and some warm water.
Tip: We love using Mrs. Meyer’s Lemon Verbena Baking Soda Cream Cleaner and the Rubbermaid Reveal Power Scrubber on surfaces such as grout, which is essentially a pre-mixed baking soda paste that somewhat looks and acts like Soft Scrub, only with fewer chemicals to worry about. See our review of Mrs. Meyer’s Baking Soda Cleaner here.
Cleaning your vents can be a messy job if not done often enough. And if you don’t clean them frequently enough may affect how efficiently your heating and cooling system runs and the air you breathe.
Consider cleaning them several times a year, if not giving them a good, quick swipe at least once a month as you dust.
Tip: Try to dust your vents regularly, making it a part of your dusting routine each week, or even just once a month. It will keep you from having to detail clean them later on and without making a considerable mess at the same time.
Although this is entirely optional, it can be beneficial to dust your walls and ceilings at least once a year, if not more. More so in the kitchen, where we prepare our food.
And if you plan to clean or wash your walls later, this is a significant step to consider doing first so that you can avoid the dreaded wet lint stage and can better remove loose debris and dirt.
Tip #1: Get creative! Believe it or not, floor tools can often work pretty great for dusting your walls. I love using a clean, dry floor dust mop for dusting ours, such a my go-to Floor and Wall Duster by E-Cloth, which cleans the ceiling well.
Tip #2: You could also try something like the Swiffer 360 Duster or attaching microfiber cloths to something like a mop or broom for wet dusting.
Spend five minutes or so cleaning your baseboards each day or as you feel like it. This can be a great way to get what can feel like a time-consuming and tedious task done faster and in more bearable increments.
Simply repeat as necessary until each room is complete, whether you do it daily or in one day but mixed up.
Tip: Consider using something like a microfiber mop or microfiber cloth attached to something with a pole or long handle, such as a broom or even a long-handled shower scrubber.
Spend five minutes or less shaking out, vacuuming, hosing down, or tossing any rugs or doormats you might have in the area in the washer if safe to do so.
Tip: Save time later on, or use up those spare minutes during your 5-minute Kitchen Spring Cleaning Chores Challenge, by getting all doormats or machine-washable rugs on the same floor of your home done at the same time. Particularly if the cleaning methods are similar and while you’re motivated.
If you have a lot of cake-on mess, you may wish to prep the unit before setting your 5-minute timer.
To do this, use a bowlful of water—or, better yet, lemon water—in your microwave and set the timer for one minute. You can also try to use a damp sponge.
Psst… Looking for more microwave cleaning tips? Check out our post on 7 Best Microwave Cleaning Methods for Quick and Easy Cleanup next (new tab).
This might be one of the easiest and fastest tasks in the kitchen—especially if you have a slotted toaster—and yet it’s one of those things many forget to do.
Tip #1 Try adding the task of cleaning your toaster out during your weekly cleaning sessions, once a month, or at least during your quarterly cleaning chores.
Tip #2 If it’s something you think you might forget, use one of your devices or reminder apps to give you that gentle reminder.
While there are plenty of drop-in cleaning tabs for garbage disposals available, we recommend using a garbage disposal cleaning brush too when possible.
This can be done before or after using a cleaning tab or disposal-cleaning detergent to remove debris and bacteria that might otherwise get left behind.
Common Disposal-Cleaning Products
It’s essential to make sure that you do regular maintenance cleanings on your dishwasher to keep it running well, even if it’s just using a store-bought cleaning tab each month or so.
However, sometimes our dishwashers may need a more in-depth cleaning for slightly more heavy-duty tasks, such as clearing and cleaning any filters and making sure gaskets and sprayers are cleaned too.
Task: Give your dishwasher a proper cleaning, focusing on cleaning the gaskets, and filter(s) and ensuring that the sprayers and racks are free of any debris or calcification. You can also opt to use a dishwasher cleaner or whatever works best for you.
Tip: Want more deep cleaning tips for you dishwasher? Check out our step-by-step dishwasher cleaning turtorial next (new tab).
Detail clean your kitchen sink, including the garbage disposal if you haven’t already. This is an excellent time to decalcify and scrub the faucets, sprayers, and trim as needed.
You may even wish to fix issues of mold or stains in the caulking if there’s time or during a different cleaning session.
Some Favorite Products
Tip #1 Try to get ahead of the work by lightly cleaning and drying your sink each night before bed. That means avoiding leaving dishes in the sink, which is another excellent and helpful habit to get into, such as during a nighttime cleaning routine.
Tip #2 We love using white grout repair pens in a pinch and if we can’t get stains out, we immediately remove and repair any caulking. However, in cases of mildew, we recommend treating it first and waiting a few days, if not repairing it as soon as you can.
Tip #3 Looking for more kitchen tips to complement your spring cleaning chores? Don’t forget to check out our 21 Ways to Clean Your Kitchen As You Cook post next (new tab).
Springtime is a great time to tackle cleaning your window treatments as a kitchen spring cleaning chore, regardless if they’re blinds, shutters, curtains, shades, or other treatments.
With proper planning, you can easily tackle cleaning one if not several treatments at a time, or even make it a point to tackle a whole room in one go by setting the timer for longer to complete the task or chore.
Tip #1 Microfiber cloths or window-cleaning tools are excellent for quickly cleaning blinds and shutters.
Tip #2 Speed up the amount of time it takes to clean shutters, blinds, and shades by dusting them regularly. We recommend dusting wood fixtures, including window treatments, weekly or bi-weekly.
You can quickly clean the inside of your windows with the right planning and correct tools for the job. It may even be possible to tackle an entire room at once, depending on the number of windows.
Time-Saving Tools
Tip #1 You can significantly speed up the amount of time it takes to clean your windows by using a minimal amount of product such as warm water, a lightly damp microfiber cleaning cloth, and polishing cloth.
Tip #2 Try to dust your windows to remove any dust or lint ahead of time in order to cut your cleaning time down. If you do use microfiber, avoid using too much liquid or cleaning product for a better, more efficient cleaning process.
Take time to detail clean your stove top, including any components such as knobs, burner plates, and grates.
Tip: Deep cleaning your stovetop can be done quarterly if you practice maintenance cleanings, even aside from treating it as a kitchen spring cleaning chores, such as with a weekly schedule or even a morning or evening cleaning routine. If you cook a lot, it’s generally best to deep clean your stove more consistently.
Take 5 minutes during your kitchen spring cleaning chores to pull out and clean around your oven. This can easily be done by adding felt feet to the bottom of your oven, providing it’s not built-in.
Tip #1 Consider pulling out your unit from its niche in order to clean the side of the stovetop and around the unit itself. This is usually good to do at least once every other quart anyway in order to reduce buildup of messes and cleaning time.
Tip #2 Check out more ways you can use Rubber and Felt Feet Around the Home next (new tab).
Consider spending 5 minutes each day cleaning the front of your kitchen cabinets and drawer fronts until the job, or work for however long you wish to make your timed cleaning sessions.
This can usually be done with a lightly damp cloth, depending on how dirty they are. Just make sure to follow the car instructions based on the material type for your cabinets.
Making an effort to de-mark walls at least every other quarter can be a great way to freshen up the look of your place while helping to make it look brand-new. It’s also an ideal way to renew the look of your paint and help it last longer.
Not everyone has the time or the desire to reorganize an entire kitchen in one or two days.
Because of this, it can actually be easier and even more beneficial to spend 5 or so minutes each day tackling one shelf, drawer, or cabinet at a time.
Tip: Make sure to have a lightly damp microfiber cloth nearby for easy cleanup of any debris, spills, dust, or grime that may need to be cleaned up as you clean your drawers and shelving.
Taking the time to detail clean and polish your appliances is usually easier to do when you do it consistently — meaning at least every quarter and especially during spring cleaning time chores.
We focus on cleaning the inside of your fridge in a later step but feel free to tackle it all if you feel like going longer than five minutes.
If you haven’t done so already prior to doing your kitchen spring cleaning chores, try cleaning out your trash and recycling bins in order to keep them looking and smelling fresh.
Tip: Try cleaning your trash and recycling bins on Trash Day or the day before to make the process easier and more efficient.
You can save yourself a significant amount of time, effort, and elbow grease while cleaning your refrigerator when it’s done consistently.
This can easily be managed by performing light maintenance cleaning on your unit each week and doing a deep cleaning every quarter or so, depending on your household’s needs.
Tip: Make your kitchen and fridge-cleaning experience easier to stay on top of with our Easy Monthly Chores for an Efficient Cleaning Checklist.
Cleaning your walls at least during Spring Cleaning season, if not every other quarter or so, can be a great way to freshen up the look of your place. This is regardless if you plan to tackle it all at once or in 5-minute increments.
Fortunately, if you have washable paint on your walls, you can get the job done faster and more efficiently than most people might think by using a clean, color-safe mop or something similar.
You can also spot treat areas if that feels more suitable or as a way to maintenance clean your walls as part of your seasonal/quarterly cleaning routine and after deep cleaning them in the springtime.
While some people might prefer to tackle decluttering, cleaning, and organizing their pantry and other food cabinets all in one go, it may not be doable or desirable for others.
Luckily, you can tackle cleaning your pantry for spring cleaning in small, timed cleaning sessions of five minutes or less by working one or two shelves at a time.
Tip: Make sure to have a plan before you start your timer and try to hustle if you can. This way you won’t waste time on the timer trying to figure things out as you work.
Thoroughly clean the interior of the refrigerator, including the gaskets, seals, hinges, and underneath drawers when appropriate.
This might mean breaking things down into 5-minute increments or as you see fit. You can also choose to work in larger timed segments or do everything at once. Either way, do what works best for you.
If you haven’t already, try cleaning, decluttering, and reorganizing underneath your kitchen sink.
This is usually a good thing to tackle at least during your quarterly cleaning chores or handling the task bi-quarterly to help make it faster and easier to maintain.
It can be beneficial to wash any textiles around your kitchen and to go through what you have to see if anything can be decluttered in order to keep things under control as far as storage and maintenance go.
You can always donate whatever items you no longer need or have a use for.
Common Textiles
Tip: To keep clutter at bay and keep items such as kitchen towels and cleaning cloths organized, consider putting them inside a basket or bin. However, rather than stacking them on top of each other, folding them in a similar fashion to the KonMari method (external YouTube link).
Try to clean the interior and exterior of any lighting and fan fixtures regardless if they’re on the wall or ceiling. You can do them all in one sitting or break them up into 5-minute increments as you see fit.
While it may seem like a small and insignificant task, replacing any felt or rubber bumpers on your cabinets and drawers can greatly improve the sound quality of your kitchen and may even protect your cabinetry.
The rest of your household and possibly even the neighbors might thank you later.
Tip: Try using felt feet to soften the closing of any kitchen cabinets and drawers rather than rubber feet.
If possible, de-mark your painted or foiled cabinets, or touch up any small, worn-down spots in cabinets with stained finishes, such as around the edges of doors and drawers.
Below are just a few tools you can use on cabinets where marks and small surface scratches may occur in order to give them a clean, revamped look.
Cabinet Demarking Tools
! Keep in mind that the type of material your cabinetry is made of may determine which method or tool will be best for de-marking. Please research or refer to the manufacturer’s care instructions before attempting.
! Make sure to thoroughly clean and degrease the surface be for applying any paint or stain marks to achieve the ultimate results.
! When it doubt or when trying demarking out on your cabinets for the first time, consider using a lightly damp microfiber cloth to remove scuff marks first before trying more intense treatments like Magic Eraser. Especially on MDF (foiled) cabinets.
You can save a lot of time with cleaning your spice rack by making sure to clean it consistently — especially if it tends to get messy quickly or you cook a lot.
Pitch and switch: Take a few moments to clear out any overly-expired items or seasonings you’ve had for ages but never use. This is also a great time to make a list of any items you might need to replace on your next trip to the store.
! Save even more time when it comes to spring cleaning your spice rack or deep cleaning it general by making sure to close and wipe clean your spice bottles after each use.
If you haven’t done so already, consider focusing your spring cleaning on giving your counters a good, thorough cleaning. Also, don’t forget to clean things like knickknacks, caulking, grout, and around and underneath items.
Shrink it down: Don’t be afraid to do this in smaller sections or increments, depending on the size of your kitchen or the amount of work you might have to do.
While it’s not a likable chore for most people, try to spend some spring cleaning time deep cleaning your oven.
If you plan to use an oven-cleaning product that needs to sit for a while or prefer self-cleaning mode, you can focus your 5-minute timed session cleaning up the aftermath.
! Make sure to prep for your cleaning session in advance. This is regardless if you plan to run a self-cleaning mode first or need to use an oven-cleaning product. It’s also ideal to have all your cleaning supplies ready so you can make the most of your timed session.
Few things complement a beautiful spring morning more than a fresh cup of coffee or tea. So why not take a few minutes to give them a good cleaning?
Mission
Descale your coffeemaker or kettle using water and vinegar, a food-safe descaling solution, or whatever is recommended by the manufacturer. Also, make sure to clean the outside properly as well as wash any removable parts.
Helpful Habit
Coffeemakers and kettles should be regularly cleaned if you use them consistently. Manufacturers typically recommend doing so at least once a month.
Cleaning your machine not only keeps your device running properly and for longer, but it prevents calcification and potential mold growth. Above all, it helps ensure that your coffee or tea will taste great year-round.
Conclusion
In the end, getting your kitchen spring cleaning chores done can be a lot more tolerable and manageable when you break things down into smaller chunks. This can be achieved by trying some of the following tasks.
- Declutter the countertops.
- Clean the backsplash.
- Clean the air vents.
- Dust the walls and vents.
- Dust and clean some baseboards.
- Clean floor mats and rugs.
- Clean the microwave inside and out.
- Spring clean the toaster or toaster oven.
- Clean the garbage disposal.
- Deep clean the dishwasher.
- Scrub and polish the kitchen sink.
- Clean window treatments.
- Clean the inner-side of windows.
- Clean the stovetop.
- Pull out and clean around the oven.
- Clean cabinet and drawer exterior surfaces.
- De-mark the walls.
- Declutter, clean, and organize a drawer or shelf.
- Clean and polish appliances.
- Clean the trash and recycling bins.
- Clean a few refrigerator shelves.
- Clean or mop the walls (optional)/
- Declutter a pantry shelf or two.
- Clean the remaining interior of the fridge.
- Clean under the sink.
- Declutter and wash kitchen textiles.
- Dust and clean light fixtures.
- Replace worn or missing drawer and door bumper pads.
- De-mark your cabinets.
- Clean your spice rack.
- Deep clean the counters.
- Clean the inside of your oven.
- Clean the coffeemaker or kettle.
Happy Spring Cleaning 🙂
! Don’t forget to check out our other seasonal and Spring Cleaning related posts.
Related Posts
